Northeast Columbia fire forces residents out

COLUMBIA — A duplex at 709 Demaret Drive caught fire at about 8:53 p.m. Monday. Twenty-four firemen responded to the incident in northeast Columbia. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire was not immediately known, Division Chief Gale Blomenkamp of the Columbia Fire Department said.

Blomenkamp said the fire started in the back hallway of the duplex. The flames caused moderate damage there and in the room closest to the hallway. The entire house also had heavy smoke damage, Blomenkamp said.